The Netflix Slam, a star-studded exhibition tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, was not only an impressive sports event but served as an effective advertisement for Netflix as a live sports destination. The match saw tennis legend Nadal, who had been out of the game due to a hip injury, losing to young prodigy Alcaraz in a gripping tie-breaker.
The event took place in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena. Yet, the most noticeable victor was Netflix, with pervasive branding that turned the hotel and casino into photo opportunities for keen spectators. Besides the tennis stars, the service attracted in-house Netflix talent such as Charlize Theron, Colin Kaepernick, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Michael Douglas.
The worldwide viewers were entertained with a unique televised match, sans advertising breaks and traditional b-roll packages. Instead, tennis veterans, including Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, provided live commentary. Few promos for upcoming Netflix projects also found their way into the three-hour broadcast.
Besides the on-court spectacle, the tennis extravaganza saw a Netflix talent lounge and a merchandise booth distributing Netflix Sports Club-branded items. The match also marked a major push for French skincare line La Roche-Posay into the American market, being an official sponsor. In spite of severe weather affecting travel, several high-profile Netflix executives showed up, as did other entertainment industry figures.
The Netflix Slam is the second live sports event to air on Netflix, following a golf classic last year. Gabe Spitzer, vice president of non-fiction sports at Netflix, said that the company views live programming as an extension of its filmed sports content. While there’s no set agenda for live events, he confirmed that the Netflix engineering team is becoming more agile.
The event was a success for Mandalay Bay, selling out nearly 10,000 arena seats. With primetime talking in Spain, the event aired live in the afternoon in America, further highlighting the global nature of the match. Courtside commentary and press conferences were held in English and Spanish, resonating with the large number of Spanish-speaking attendees.
As for Nadal’s future, the tennis icon dismissed inquiries about following his athletic counterparts like Tom Brady and LeBron James into the content production field, stating “It’s not in my life plan.”
Source: The Netflix Slam Gave Great Live Tennis – And Even Better Streaming Marketing.
